Gin for arthritis may sound like a strange phrase, but there are many who swear by this homemade antidote to pain and inflammation. Most recipes to help combat arthritis and other connective tissue disorders call for golden raisins and liquor. The two odd ingredients are combined and for reasons as yet unexplained by scientific research, the gin-soaked fruits have been known to combat longtime problems that other treatments could not reach.
Gin actually came into existence as a cure for other medical maladies, kidney problems. Dr. Sylvius of the University of Leyden in the Netherlands created the liquor in 1650. He meant it to serve as a diuretic for patients with renal disorders. Made from fermented juniper berries, gin took its original name Genever from the French word for juniper. Juniper berries are sometimes used as curatives for other medical conditions, and teas and plasters made of juniper are recommended for easing swollen joints.
The golden raisins called for in the recipe to relieve arthritis have special ingredients of their own. People allergic to sulfide must avoid them and should not try this cure since the raisins take on their golden shade after bleaching by sulfides. Some say that the sulfides themselves lend special curative powers to the recipe.
Here is how to make this simple remedy. Place one pound of the golden morsels in a bowl. Cover them with a half pint of gin. Leave the bowl uncovered, resting on the counter for approximately a week until the raisins have absorbed the gin. Some of the alcohol will dissipate during this process. Once the raisins have soaked up the gin, cover them and store in the refrigerator. Plan on eating eight to ten raisins each day. People who have experienced the benefits of this old-fashioned remedy claim that it takes at least five weeks of regular raisin ingestion to experience the results.
Believers claim to have regained mobility in arthritic ridden limbs. Some say that the calcium deposits or joint bumps related to arthritis disappear. Some feel relief from the aching caused by arthritis. Since this remedy is a pleasant one, many sufferers try it and some do find relief. It may be well worth a try.
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